Gas-controlling apparatus for battery-cells.



0. D. APPLE.

GAS CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR BATTERY CELLS.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.13, 1908. 7

932,087, Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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0 1). APPLE. GAS OONTROLLINGAEPARATUS FOR BATTERY GELLS. APPLICATIONFILED FEB.I3,1908.

932,087. Pateified Aug. 24, 1909.

OSCAR D. APPLE, OF MIAMISBURG, OHIO.

GAS-CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR BATTERY-CELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24., 1909.

Application filed February 13, 1908. Serial N 0. 415,734.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, OSCAR D. APPLE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Miamisburg, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Ohio, new and useful Improvements inGas-Controlling Apparatus for Battery- Cells, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to electric batteries, and particularly to a meansfor controlling the escape of oxygen and hydrogen gases generated in thecells of batteries.

The invention is applicable to both primary and secondary batteries,both portable and stationary.

In the operation of storage batteries using either alkaline or acidelectrolytes oxygen and hydrogen gases are generated in considerablequantities at all times, the generation of the gas being greater duringcharging and particularly toward the end of the operation, when in caseof over charging the generation of gas becomes very violent. The gasesforming in the electrolyte within the cell and arising therefrom becomesaturated. or charged with the particles of electrolyte. which if thegases are allowed to escape in the ordinary manner is de osited as afine spray in the atmosphere a out the battery, and upon neighboringarticles. The escaping gases so char ed with electrolyte are veryirritating to t e membrane of the nose and throat producing coughing,and other inconvenience. A further serious objection to the free escapeof the gases so charged with electrolyte is that they deposit thealkaline or acid solution upon the cells and other adjacent surfaces,producing oxidation and corrosion of 'metals in the case of acidelectrolyte and resulting in the softening, decomposition, and otherinjury to adjacent wood work when the electrolyte is alkaline, in bothcases increasing the llability of current leakage.

The object of the invention is to greatly simplify the construction aswell as the means and mode of operation of controlling devices for saidgas, whereby said devices will be cheapened in construction, moreefficient and positive in operation, and unlikely to get out of repair.

Further objects'are to provide means for preventing dirt or dustentering the cell, to protect the electrolyte within the cell againstthe air or atmosphere, thereby preventing undue evaporation of theelectro have invented certain.

lyte, to provide a cooling medium through which the gas must pass, thusreducing its explosive tendencies, and to provide a fire stop whereby incase the escaping gas should take fire it will be effectually preventedfrom flashing back and igniting the gas within the .by gravity or by airpressure With the above primary and other inc-idental objects in view.as will appear from the specification, the invention consists of themeans, parts, construction, and combination and operation thereof, ortheir equivalent hereinafter described and the claims.

The fundamental principles of the gas control are capable of beingembodied in constructions ,of various forms, several of which are shownin the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan view of anembodiment of the invention applied to a series of three battery cells:Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 3 illustrates a similarconstruction showing a different point of attachment to the cell. Figs.4, 5. and 6 illustrate different applications or modifications of theinvention.

Like-parts are indicated by similar characters of reference through outthe several views.

In the drawings 1 represents the cells of a battery of usualconstruction which may be of any suitable shape, material,- or detailconstruction. The cell is provided with the usual orifice, preferablysurrounded by a neck or flange 2, and having a stopper 3 adapted toclose said orifice.

A conduit 4 of glass, rubber or other acid and alkali proof materialextends from a point above the normal fluid level of the electrolytesolution withinthe cell 1 through the stopper 3 and discharges below thefluid level of a reservoir 5 containing a gas cleanssetforth in ingfluid. The particular shape of the reservoir 5 is not consideredessential, but one of the preferable forms is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,and comprises a tubular body of glass or other transparent materialhaving a gas vent G therein above the fluid level, the tubular bodybeing preferably turned up as at 7, in which elevated portion the vent 6is located. Closing the body of the reservoir 5 is a stopper 8 throughwhich the discharge end of the conduit '4 extends to a point within thereservoir, and below the uid level thereof. A portion of the conduit 4intermediate the cell 1 and the reservoir 5 is elevated above the levelof the fluid in said reservoir to prevent the fluid from flowing throughsaid conduit into-the battery cell under normal conditions.

While a reservoir of transparent material is to be desired, suchmaterial is not essential for all purposes thereof, and the reser voirmight be formed of opaque material.

Thecleansing fluid within the reservoir through which the gas must passin escaping from the cell 1 vmay be plain water, or a chemical compoundor combination, as dictated by local circumstances or conditions.

The gas generated within the cell will rise to the upper portion of thecell above the fluid line or level thereof, from which space it will beconducted through the conduit 4 and discharged below the fluid levelinto the reservoir 5. The gas will pass'through the cleansing fluid inthe form of minute bubbles and will be discharged through the vent 6 tothe atmosphere. During its passage through the cleansing fluid in thereservoir 5 the gas will be washed, having the entrained corrosivematter removed or so diluted that it will be harmless as it issues fromthe vent 6. The cleansing fluid will further cool the gas reducing itsexplosive tendency, and further will provide a fire check to protect thecell 1. If the gas should be exploded at the vent G'the cleansing fluidwithinthe reservoir would form a body of non-inflammable materialbetween the vent and the cell, preventing the burning gas following backthrough the conduit and igniting the gas within the cell or preventingthe heat becoming great enough to explode the s in the cell. The fluidin'the reservoir 5 W111 efli'ectually prevent the air entering the cell-1, but at the same time will offer but sli ht resistance to the escapeof the gas from the cell. It will also serve as a check against dirt anddust. When a battery cell is charged too rapidly or over charged theviolent generation of the gas will at times force a portionbf theelectrolyte from the cell; the overflow electrolyte thus forced from thecell will be collected within the reservoir, and when the level of thesolution in the. cell returns to normal, a slight vacuum will be formed,and the over flow solution will be returned to the cell 1 through theconduit 4 by section as through a siphon. \Vhen it is necessary to addwater to the solution in the cell, it may be accomplished through thereservoir 5 by tipping the cell with reservdir attached so that thefluid will pass by gravity through the conduit 4 to the cell, or it maybe forced through the conduit to the cell by applying air under pressureto the vent 6. i

By the use of a transparent reservoir the condition of the cell as tofull charge or otherwise, can be determined by the number of gas bubblesto be seen passing through the reservoir in a given interval of time. Ithas been determined that the proportion of bubbles is in direct ratiowith the strength of charge. Thus for example it may be said that a sixvolt, sixty ampere battery, charging at a four ampere rate will give offone bubble per second of time.

In Fig. 3 the vent conduit 4 is shown as leading from a point of thecell 1 other than through the stopper 3. It is immaterial from whatpoint of the cell the conduit passes except that the intake orifice ofsaid conduit should be in the space 9 intermedi ate the electrolytelevel and the top of the cell.

In Fig. 4 is shown a jar or reservoir 10 in which the entire cell islocated, the jar being filled with cleansing fluid or water.

,A conduit 11 leads from the space 9 down to the bottom of the cell anddischarges into the jar. or reservoir 10 far below the fluid levelthereof. The action of the device is exactly as before described.

In Fig. 5 is shown a reservoir 12 of reduced size on the side of thecell. A conduit 13 leads from a point above the level of the solution,within the cell to a point below the fluid level of the reservoir 12.Additional fluid may be added to the cell by filling the reservoir 12above the level of the conduit 13 within the cell.

In both the structures of Fi s. 4 and 5 the reservoir is entirely openat t e top so that a s ecial vent is not required.

n Fig. 6 is shown a cell constructed as before described, having thestop er 15'. Supported on the stopper 15 is a ask 16 forminga reservoirfor the cleansing fluid. A conduit 17 extends from the space 9 throughthe stopper 15 into the flask 16 and above the fluid level, thenceturning down and discharging below the fluid level of the flask. Thebend of the conduit within the flask is necessary to prevent the fluiddraining under normal conditions from the flask to the cell. A vent holeis located in the flask 16 at the point 18.

In each of the constructions described the combination operates in thesame manner and for the same purposes as before described.

From the abovedescription it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device" of the character described possessin the particularfeatures of advantage be ore enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its-form proportion, detailconstruction, and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages Having thusdescribed my invention I claim:

1. Ina device of the character described, the combinationwitha pluralityof battery cells, of a fluid containing reservoir common to all of saidcells, independent vent pipes independently connecting the various cellswith said reservoir each of said pipes leading from a point above thelevel of the fluid in the corresponding cell to a point below the fluidlevel of the reservoir, substantially as specified.

2. As a means of indicating the condition of a battery cell charge, thecombination with a battery'cell, of a transparent fluid containingreservoir, a vent pipe leading from the cell and discharging into thereservoir below the fluid level thereof whereby the escape of gas fromthe cell may be observed in the form of bubbles passin through the fluidwithin thereservoir an quantity of fluid, a plurality ofindependentconduits leading from the respective cells to the commonreservoir and discharging therein below the fluid level within thereservoir, a portion of each of said'conduits between the cell andreservoir being extended above the fluid level of the reservoir, sub-.stantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a device as described, the combination with an electric batterycell, of a tubu lar glass reservoir having, a reduced upturnedextremity, said upturned extremity having a vent orifice therein, a headin said reservoir, a ventconduit leading from said cell and extendingthroughthe head of said reservoir and communicating with the interiorthereof, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day ofFebruary A. D. 1908.

OSCAR D. APPLE.

Witnesses C. E. OEDEN, F. L.-WALKER.

